Ma Pau poser: How Pro League application led to Police probe in Sport Ministry

The Ma Pau Morvant Sports Club, almost certainly, will not participate in the 2015/16 Pro League competition, after an about-turn by the Ministry of Sport left the organisation without its registration fee.

And it is possible that the Ma Pau outfit, which participated in the Pro League between 2008 and 2011, may not have another shot at entrance in the local top flight until 2018.

There is nothing unusual about a local football club attempting and failing to secure admittance into the Pro League. It happens almost every season.

But it is not every year that a Pro League application leads to a passive aggressive media battle between the Sport Minister and a football coach, suggestions of a pliant Permanent Secretary, a police investigation for fraud and a frustrated community.

The most appealing aspect of Ma Pau’s proposed return to the Pro League is a promised TT$8.5 million refurbishment of a sport ground in Morvant, which the club will share with fellow top flight neighbours, Caledonia AIA, and the community.

And outgoing Laventille East/Morvant MP Donna Cox had hoped her last act as the area’s Parliamentary representative would have been to announce the massive infrastructural work on the sporting ground in the humble community.

Cox said that, over the last five years, she had filed questions in Parliament and written the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Planning for help to fix the uneven ground, which is unbearably dusty one minute and flooded the next.

Photo: Outgoing Laventille East/Morvant MP Donna Cox.

“It just needed refurbishing and some work done,” Cox told Wired868. “A lot of people use it because they don’t have a proper alternative but there is a lot of flooding and it is uneven and so on…

“We talk about crime but, if we are really serious about crime, this is one of the areas that is at risk. But no work has been done in Laventille East/Morvant by the Ministry of Sport. No netball or basketball court, nothing.

“Malick Senior Comprehensive has to go outside its community to train because there is no proper ground here for them… And I also made a plug for it to be the home ground for Caledonia AIA.”

Cox claimed she got nowhere with her pleas for State resources to fix the community ground.

Last month, former Central FC coach Terry Fenwick approached the MP with a promise to completely renovate the ground and she jumped at the offer. There was one caveat.

Ma Pau wanted the Ministry of Sport to support its bid to return to the Pro League.

“If the Ministry of Sport is not doing what it is supposed to do and a private company wants to come in and assist, then of course I support it,” said Cox. “I feel they should be allowed to get the job done. Why is it being stopped?

“Why didn’t the Ministry decide to partner with them and get it done?”

The catch was that Ma Pau wanted the Ministry of Sport to foot the bill for its Pro League return, which meant a TT$400,000 payment. The Ma Pau application, though, asked the Government for TT$450,000.

But why did Ma Pau, after promising to spend just over TT$3 million on a football ground before the end of year, not simply pay the Pro League’s comparatively paltry registration fee in the first place?

The Pro League gave Ma Pau chairman John Wallis an assurance that, should he choose to return to the competition, he would not have to pay a registration fee for a second time. But Wallis was not aware—or properly advised by his own staff—that this amnesty carried a deadline. And the club missed it two years ago.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago striker Cornell Glen collects his thoughts after striking the bar against Sweden, during the Germany 2006 World Cup.Glen is a former Ma Pau player.(Courtesy www.bbc.co.uk)

When Wallis and Fenwick sat down in June to discuss Ma Pau’s return to top flight football, there were, according to the coach, two conditions: the club must have a home ground—Wallis was frustrated by Ma Pau being asked to play home games all over the country during his previous Pro League stint—and he would not pay to regain his club’s Pro League status.

From mid-June, Fenwick went into overdrive, as he met and wooed counsellors and regional corporation representatives with Ma Pau’s vision for the Morvant ground.

Inevitably, Fenwick ended up at the Ministry of Sport and in front of his former employer and current Sport Minister, Brent Sancho.

Almost a decade earlier, Fenwick sacked Sancho at San Juan Jabloteh after he grew frustrated with the World Cup 2006 defender’s supposed fondness for night life. But they worked together twice at Central and, earlier this year, the English coach was at the helm when the “Couva Sharks” lifted the Caribbean Club Championship and Digicel Pro League and Pro Bowl titles.

Sancho was already Sport Minister when Fenwick returned to the Sharks and the UNC Senator claimed he had nothing to do with it. But an email between Fenwick, Sancho and his advisor Kevin Harrison suggested otherwise.

At 8.30 am on Monday 23 March 2015, Fenwick asked Harrison, via email, to round his salary off at TT$30,000 per month and confirm his bonus for title success with the Sharks. But Sancho was the person who replied.

“We never agreed to rounding off to 30,” stated Sancho, from his Hotmail address. “It’s 28 and 10%. Please (do) not complicate this as time is of the essence.”

On March 24, Central confirmed that Fenwick would replace Serbian Zoran Vranes as head coach. Harrison claimed then that he made the decision and not Sancho.

Although Central won every available title under Fenwick, the relationship between the trio quickly soured.

At 10.52 am on 25 June 2015, Fenwick wrote a 515-word email to Sancho, Harrison and Central director Daren Mohamdally, in which the former England World Cup player ranted at the club’s supposed mismanagement and warned that the Sharks faced a thrashing from MLS club, LA Galaxy, at the CONCACAF Champions League.

“Maybe, in my moment of weakness, I expected CFC (Central FC) to recognise the huge opportunity we have been presented to provide T&T football with a much needed ‘positive’ shot in the arm from the visit of LA Galaxy to Trinidad,” stated Fenwick, as he raged about the club’s failure to sort out players’ contracts and pre-season plans. “… It is unethical to have potential employees waiting on Management and the Board to have an epiphany regarding renewal of contracts! Do you have any regard for people’s lives and families noting that they all have responsibilities to their loved ones!

“I find it not only unprofessional but disingenuous to run your club with people/players’ welfare at your disposal and not communicate with them…

“For me and my players, it is demoralising and quite startling how individuals of self proclaimed pillars of society treat with such disregard their own work force.”

Exactly 31 minutes later, Central manager Jamie Along-Charles emailed Fenwick with bad news: “Dear Terry. The Board and Management of Central FC met to discuss your proposed contractual requirement. Unfortunately at this time they will not be able to facilitate your request.

“As such, they wish to sincerely thank you for your services rendered to the club.”

Regardless, Fenwick took coach Keon Trim along to explain to Sancho and Harrison—in their official capacities at the Ministry of Sport—why the Government should support Ma Pau’s bid to enter the Pro League.

There had been a precedent as, just last year, the Government paid registration fees for Point Fortin Civic. But Sancho, despite his football background, did not support Ma Pau’s bid.

What neither Sancho nor Harrison knew is that Fenwick had already gotten the necessary approval from Ministry of Sport Permanent Secretary Gillian Macintyre, who, as the Ministry’s financial officer, does not need Cabinet or Ministerial oversight within a TT$1 million limit.

“We went to (Sancho) with the complete proposal for Ma Pau and he gave us every possible excuse why he could not do it,” said Fenwick. “I gave them six different ways they could back it because of the level of funding put out by corporate Trinidad.

“Everything they said was a contradiction because we already had an agreement from the PS and we knew that Point Fortin had already received money before us.”

The Sport Ministry contacted Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene and advised that it chose to support Ma Pau’s bid and foot its supposed $450,000 registration fee.

There was no consensus as to why the Government wrote a cheque for $450,000 and not $400,000 and, arguably, it showed a flaw in the internal process at the Ministry.

Fenwick and a Sport Minister official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed they were verbally told the fee for entry was $450,000 while the Pro League officials could not remember ever saying so.

Clearly, nobody got anything in writing from the Pro League about its registration fee, yet, despite that fact, a cheque was drawn up for Ma Pau. Furthermore, the cheque was made made out to Ma Pau Morvant Sports Club and not the Pro League.

Skeene, a former “Strike Squad” player, thought the incorrect figure was an error and not fraud.

“If I had any problems with Ma Pau’s application, I would not have put forward their application to the (Pro League board),” Skeene told Wired868. “Or I would have at least hinted (about the problem) to the board.”

Photo: Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene (right) is in deep conversation with former Trinidad and Tobago standout Ron La Forest at the inaugural Wired868 Football Festival.(Courtesy Allan V Crane/ Wired868)

Harrison, despite his role with the Sport Ministry, was present at the Pro League’s board meeting and was stunned to hear that Ma Pau’s application was supported by the Ministry of Sport.

“I went to the Pro League meeting to present info on the delays in their subventions and so on,” Harrison told Wired868. “The Chairman said there was an application to enter the Pro League when they opened up the meeting and presented a cheque (from the Sport Ministry). I said I knew nothing about it at all and neither does the Minister.”

The Pro League clubs did not support Ma Pau’s bid and, ironically, there was grumbling by club representatives that Fenwick had used his influence with Sancho and Harrison to gain an unfair advantage.

In truth, Harrison was fuming and he sped straight back to the Ministry’s PS, Macintyre, for answers. The English football administrator claimed that he and Sancho implemented a system in which Harrison reviewed any cheques issued by the Sport Ministry for over $20,000.

“Once a cheque is issued, I would review the file to ensure all the processes are followed,” said Harrison. “This is something we put in place when we came into the Ministry because of the Life Sport thing to make sure we don’t issue money to the wrong people.”

Harrison questioned Macintyre about the Ma Pau cheque and asked her to withdraw it.

“When I went back to the Ministry, I saw the PS and asked if she issued a cheque for $450,000 to Ma Pau and she said yes,” said Harrison. “And I said it was declined and you can get it back. When we then looked at the file, we realised there were a number of discrepancies… So the PS decided to take it to the police.”

One of the suggestions, raised in a subsequent Trinidad Guardian article, was that Fenwick sent photographs that fraudulently misrepresented the state of the Morvant ground by showing a spanking track around it.

The bemused Englishman countered that he had merely shown the ground in its current condition and then used photographs of a foreign track to show what it would like after work was completed.

Macintyre never questioned Fenwick, though. She ordered the coach to return the cheque, which he did, and, although the PS herself signed off on the application, the police began interviewing Sport Ministry officials on the matter.

However, the Pro League never formally rejected Ma Pau’s proposal and Skeene contradicted Harrison’s report to the PS.

“I don’t know where (Harrison) is getting this idea about the finality of the thing,” said Skeene. “The Pro League always continues to assist teams and we continue to try to help Ma Pau to get into the league… It is a continuing process.”

Photo: Central FC official and Advisor to the Sport Minister Kevin Harrison (right) presents a $12,000 cheque to Dion Sosa, the local manager for then ailing player Akeem Adams.Adams died on 30 December 2013 after failing to recover from a heart attack.(Courtesy Allan V. Crane/Wired868)

Had Harrison overstepped his boundaries by instructing the PS to withdraw the cheque for Ma Pau?

And had Macintyre erred by taking instructions from Harrison rather than the Pro League Chairman or CEO?

Wired868 failed to reach Macintyre for comment. Harrison denied he was working against Ma Pau’s bid.

“We said we can’t find a way and he went around (Sancho and I) and submitted an application and he got turned down by the Pro League,” said Harrison. “I certainly had no say in how they voted because I wasn’t a voting member. It had nothing to do with me.”

Was there any ill-feeling between Sancho, Harrison and Fenwick?

“I don’t know (but) I see there is a post on Facebook calling me a liar,” said Harrison, in reference to a comment made by Fenwick’s wife and local attorney, Reyna Kowlessar. “I was told by two independent sources that Terry said he got money from the Ministry of Sport without me or Brent knowing about it. And he was laughing…”

Caledonia AIA coach Jamaal Shabazz said he abstained from the vote when Ma Pau’s application was raised before the Pro League board. Since then, he met with Fenwick and has been rallying other clubs to support Ma Pau.

Photo: Caledonia head coach Jamaal Shabazz (left) and assistant coach Rajesh Latchoo enjoy a good day at the office.(Courtesy Allan V Crane/ Wired868)

“I had heard rumours that the regional corporation had given the ground in our Morvant community to Ma Pau and I abstained at that point to get more clarity,” Shabazz told Wired868. “Now that I have information to the contrary, I feel it is necessary for Caledonia to support Ma Pau’s entry into the League…

“The Ma Pau franchise would be able to employ at least 35 of our grassroots people and, while politicians continue to promise, the young people have to (be able to) eat.”

Shabazz suggested that Ma Pau might win a second vote from Pro League clubs but claimed the team’s bid was being undermined by “senior officials at the Sport Ministry.”

“Each club owner has their say and their vote and, because we own the league, we can change our minds as we have done and amend rules according to the situations that we face,” said Shabazz. “I’m hearing that there are senior officials in the Ministry who are trying to put stumbling blocks. I have spoken to one or two clubs who said that senior officials have insinuated that Terry Fenwick did not use proper information to secure the Ministry’s help…

Photo: Former Central FC coach Terry Fenwick gestures during his team’s final Pro League contest.North East Stars coach Angus Eve is in the foreground.(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

“I can understand if you stop a man from doing bad. So if Fenwick trying to do something bad, I can understand (that) they stop it. But he is trying to do something good, so I can’t see why they want to stop him.

“And I am saying this as no friend of Terry Fenwick and it angers me when people think for some reason I shouldn’t stand up for him.

“I am not standing up for him, I am standing up for fair play in football. This is our livelihood and we have to make this industry work.”

Shabazz suggested that the Pro League needs Fenwick at least as much as he needs the Pro League.

“I see Terry Fenwick as a warrior like us and he brings a certain amount of competitiveness and finesse as a coach in the league,” said Shabazz. “He is second only to Stuart Charles (Fevrier) in terms of winning titles in the Pro League and for that he has my respect… Caledonia would vote in favour of Ma Pau, despite the fact that on the field I am a fierce competitor against Terry Fenwick.

“We may never be friends but I think he has a place in Trinidad and Tobago’s football. And, as a Muslim, I have a command from Allah to stand up for justice.

“Allah says: ‘Oh ye who believe, stand up firmly for justice, even if it is against yourself.’ Despite my combative vibes with Mr Fenwick, I think in fairness to the work he has done, he should be in the league.”

However, Skeene said the time-consuming furore within the Ministry of Sport over Ma Pau’s application has probably killed the team’s chances of playing in the Pro League this season.

The Pro League is due to kick off with a Digicel Charity Shield fixture on September 11 while the official competition is scheduled to begin on September 25.

“I think there was a remote possibility for Ma Pau to come into the league last month,” said Skeene. “It was very tight. Right now, it would probably be next season.”

The new TTFA constitution, which was approved by its executive committee but must still make its way through the regional associations, calls for a promotion and relegation system between the Pro League and National Super League.

When that occurs, clubs will have to earn their entrance into the top flight by slogging it out in the Super League, which now has two divisions.

It would mean that Ma Pau and other ambitious clubs must spend at least two years battling their way past over 30 community teams before they can even apply to the Pro League.

“The Pro League board still has to finalise the matter of promotion and relegation,” said Skeene. “We are looking to have a discussion with the TTFA. I would like it to (have promotion) but we have to have discussions… It will place a totally different dimension on things.”

It means that local football fans might have a long wait before they see Fenwick coaching in the top flight again.

Shabazz would miss the combative Englishman, although there may be just as many rivals who would say ‘good riddance.’ Fenwick, outspoken, combative and provocative, has always split opinions in the local game, even though his titles speak for themselves.

Cox suggested that Morvant/Laventille would be the biggest losers, though.

“I am really disappointed with all the foolishness that is going on,” said Cox. “Anybody who wants to do something to uplift the grounds, I am very grateful for it… If someone is willing to pump money into sport, then shouldn’t (the Ministry of Sport) be happy?

“There must be some underlying confusion going on that we do not know about. I don’t think any right-thinking person will not want that to happen.”

About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the CEO and Editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

Good point Sav. The upgrade happened under the last government. And, according to the timeline given, it was being done even as Ma Pau was asking for permission to pour some of its own resources in there to ground share.

Gordon Pierre could you also imagine eh, when I was in our sweet country some time ago eh and I visited the West Mall where I like to hang out sometimes while I am there eh, I saw a big opened piece of land eh and I asked what the government is going and build there and I was told that it was supposed to be affordable housing for our black people the same like what they have in Cocorite and other places in our sweet country and I was also told that the West Moorings residents shut it down yes and now I saw a sign where they will put a Savannah so if Carlos Lee feel that is the Prime Ministers that does run things in our sweet country eh, well I am waiting very patiently to see Mr. Rowdy fix up Morvant with the library, the stadia, and the hospital for our people eh. Them really good yes.

This have been one of the most revealing threads!! Lasana Liburd Travis Mulraine has alot of very truthful points, while ur advice is also very valid!! Jamaal Shabazz good to hear u will b starting the revolution
of empowerment!!

Well the last time I told you to change the carnival season time to when the professional and the super league season ends around in May so you will get better support from more spectators and players and in this way you can also get more of your jerseys sold etc, etc, but to tell you the truth my man of business Dion Sosa will organize the games for me and I just want to come and assist him and just enjoy the day as usual eh, so as I said in May or June after season will be better for me to many folks and players like to attend the carnival parties and shows when you are having it in January and also we can also honor the top goalscorer of the professional league at the football festival eh instead of how I does it at the stadium .

Earl Mango Pierre – new leadership within the PNM. I don’t think the good Doc will allow himself to be used by “others” like the former PNM leader. I also think that politicians are now aware that there’s a much more educated population out there. They know now that if you don’t listen to the people and don’t facilitate their needs, they will be only too happy to vote you out of office. Both Manning and Kamla failed to understand that. They took the people for granted. Thought they could do whatever and still stay in power. But the people showed them who is their boss. So My brother Jamaal Shabazz. Go to your representative and demand your library, stadium and hospital or clinic for the people of Morvant. If the people believe those are important to them and their family, then your representative should work to ensure that they’re built. Unless the economy continues to go south, your rep should do his/her best to meet your demands.

Yeah and I am ready to give you the opportunity to beat up my foreign base team eh re your football festival so leh meh know when you are ready for the rematch and yes the corrupted sports minister will be the captain of meh side just like old times. Hahahahah Them really good yes.

Travis Mulraine, I’ve discussed the topic you raised with a friend and pondered on it.
I didn’t mean to breezily dismiss your point of inequal opportunities.
It is true that is the case.
Many factors contribute to that. Sometimes education, upbringing, geographical location, access to resources, network, looks and, yes, race.
Now I can’t say whose plan for Morvant was better. And I’m not getting into personalities either.
What I’m saying is my suggestions above were meant to look at how you can better your own sales pitch as I have had to step out of my comfort zone and do sales too since Wired868 was started.
So I don’t mean to pretend that inequalities don’t exist. I’m just thinking of the best way to advance yourself, which tends to be focusing on your pluses and not the hurdles.
Not meaning to sound preachy. Just speaking as someone who has had to go out and learn to speak to CEOs and so on too to raise advertising revenue.

Why do you think that Mr. Live Wire is so educated and writes so very well eh, he is ah CIC old boy eh, and yes some of our people was allowed to attend those kind of schools the same but the plan was always to deal with our black people with another kind of slavery after the slavery was abolished back in the days eh, but many of them still haven’t released themselves from the mental slavery. Steeuuppss Them really good yes.

Look Carlos Lee are you serious eh, you don’t know why there isn’t a library in every communities eh, why isn’t there a CIC, a Fatima, and so forth and so on in all the communities eh, just like what the great Elijah Muhammad said in his book eh on every corner in our black communities in the America eh there is a rum shop / liquor store eh to keep the black man down eh and that is no different in our sweet country the white folks came to our sweet country and set up shop a very long time ago to get very rich with our oil, natural gas, and the pitch lake eh, and they continue to pump guns and drugs into our communities to continue to make us look bad and for them to prosper and look good and alyuh really think now that the PNM is in power with a black man as the PM eh , things will really change eh, well I am really hoping so eh but as we all know the PNM is really the Syrians party and every body else after eh. Them really good yes

Jamaal Shabazz – I like your community stadia and related plans for things like community libraries and hospitals. Not sure about malls, which I don’t think government should be building. That’s more of a private venture opportunity. Government need to stay out of that. But yes to community based stadia, library, and well staffed hospitals/clinics. Every major city should have a 2000 – 3000 seat stadium, with capacity to increase seating based on demand. These stadia should be built, not with 100% government funding, but by joint partnership funding from local clubs, private donations, and dollars from local businesses. Local clubs/organizations should then be responsible for managing and maintaining these stadia. As for libraries – I don’t understand why there isn’t one in every community – fully furbished with computers, printers, and other invaluable digital supplies, including internet services. Libraries should be a must have for every village and city in TnT. Hopefully PNM will do the right thing this time around. Instead of buidling nice skyscrapers all over POS, they can build up all villages and cities with what should be considered fundamental resources, such as what is discussed above.

And now that our Muslim brother David Nahkid is moving up in the football whom I am sure like many other players that you had some influence in their lives can’t you also reach out to him for the help that you need in getting things done for the footballers and the communities as my father God say ask and you shall receive knock and the door shall be opened.

If you recall when we first met and you realized that my passion was the football eh, you always telling me that I was needed back in our sweet country to get things done and my reply to you was that I wasn’t leaving my good UN job to return to deal with the mentality of some of those folks in that corrupted Jack Warner TTFA eh, well I have retired now and I am ready to return and give that helping hand towards your vision for the youths and the community and we shall definitely rise again my brother. Blessings

Mango is 36 years of my life I give to this thing. I not laughing heh heh and with effort I feel I could organize all those youths who fighting each other for nothing. Is time to show them how to do like Terry and go and get real thing in the community. Not just the ground we have to get a library a Mall a mini hospital and real development in Laventille East Morvant. Inshallah by God’s will hold me to this.

Oh lawd please my Prof Jamaal Shabazz not another uprising eh, trust me when I say that I have been praying for that field to be built also in San Juan and if it takes a white foreigner to come to our sweet country to have it done eh so be it I truly believe that both Terry Fenwick and Kevin Harrison were both sent by Allah, God to fulfil this mission and this was the same thing that happened in the Police training College when a white foreigner from Canada came to our sweet country and was attached to the college and got some new sleeping quarters that was built for the instructors and they were all very happy for that eh, so for the betterment of our football and lessening of the crime in our sweet country work with him man he will not be there forever and neither will be you and me but one day we all will be remembered for what we did for the youths, communities, and our footballers.

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